[Editor’s Note: The President of the Teachers Union sent the following email to the membership this morning.]
There was good news and bad news at last night's School Board meeting.
First, the bad news. On the agenda were renewal contracts for two of the assistant superintendent positions.
We were there and spoke against these contracts.
Many years ago, this School District was run by a superintendent and one deputy superintendent. That structure has grown into the top-heavy monster we have now, one superintendent and three assistant superintendents.
We've been working on the Board to reclassify those positions into lower-paid “director” positions. That has already been done for one of those positions. In September, after Patti Jaffe retires, the Human Resources job will be reduced from “assistant supe” to “director” of Human Resources.
We were surprised, then, to see the Board considering renewing the other two assistant supe spots as “assistant supes.” We were also surprised to see that those contracts preserved $250/month mileage allowances, a 225-day work year and 22 days of paid vacation. After all, aren't we in a budget crisis? Aren't we shortening the school year?
What was also disturbing was the fact that the proposed contracts contained language indicating that in the event of salary reductions in future years, these employees couldn't be asked to take a higher percentage cut than the percentage taken by teachers.
In other words, if we were to take a pay cut next year, say 1 percent, for example, the assistant supes, with their huge salaries, mileage allowances, longer work year and vacation days, could only be reduced by 1 percent.
One of the principles guiding us in these hard times is that those who make the most need to sacrifice the most, and those who make the least need to sacrifice the least.
That would be impossible with these new contracts.
The good news — the School Board decided not to vote on those proposed contracts last night.
Perhaps they understand that teachers will not agree to additional cuts and/or furlough days unless these “top” positions are reduced.
Please email the board members at boardmembers@ccusd.org and encourage them to do the right thing. This is a tiny district. We don't need the kind of administrative structure you see in Long Beach or Torrance.
We've got one high school, one middle school and five elementary sites. We're eliminating some electives at Culver City Middle School and cutting back on music. We'll probably have more elementary combo classes. We're shortening the school year.
I could go on and on, but I will be late for first period.
Get those emails out today. Thanks, Dave.
Mr. Mielke may be contacted at davidmielke@ccusd.org
